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Research ethics approval process

This page provides guidance on the research ethics approval process, how to prepare for your application, and information on the Committee who will review your application.

Once you have established that your research requires University research ethics approval, some of your next steps are to:

Drafting your research ethics application

When completing the online research ethics application form you will be taken through a series of questions to determine the ethics approval procedure your research will require.

The form will also ask a series of questions regarding the details of your research, and how your research fulfils key principles of research ethics, such as:

  • Informed consent
  • Confidentiality
  • Anonymity
  • Risk assessment
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Research data management.

You will also need to upload participant information sheets and consent forms. You may also have to upload recruitment and data collection tools, such as study advertisements, if applicable.

Please note, research ethics application forms should be completed in full, and to a high standard to enable a reviewer to competently evaluate the design of your research thorugh the lens of research ethics considerations. Incomplete, or poor, quality applications will not be accepted and returned to the applicant. 

After submission of your application form

Most submissions of research ethics applications are sent automatically to a Research Ethics Committee within a Faculty, and will be sent out for review promptly without the need to wait for a committee meeting date.

Some applications are flagged as potentially involving more than minimal risk. These applications are screened by the Chair of a Central University Research Ethics Committee, and may be assigned for review at a Central University Research Ethics Committee.

You can contact the Research Ethics Committee that is reviewing your application to learn the average times between submission and approval to give you an idea of approximate timeframes for review. However, it should be noted that timeframes are dependent upon a number of different factors.